Investigating the knowledge-behaviour gap in mitigating personal information compromise

In response to information threats users instinctively increase security measures, such as firewalls and anti-virus software. However, users do not give enough attention to their behaviour, more specifically, their security behavioural practices. This paper proposes that the knowledge-behaviour gap affects a user’s security behavioural practices and this, in effect, threatens personal information security. The knowledge-behaviour gap assesses why users do not put their information security and privacy knowledge into practice. The Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills Model is used to highlight the different factors which affect the knowledge-behaviour gap, with empirical data collected using an online survey. Despite the wide conformity of opinions within literature, a key finding of this research is that users’ awareness of information security threats has an insignificant effect on their self-reported preventive behaviour. The significance of this finding is that users require a deeper technical understanding of information security threats to engage in effective preventive behaviour.